PAC forms body to probe misappropriation of capital’s I-15 Sector uplift funds

ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Wednesday formed a subcommittee to probe the misappropriations of the development funds collected from the allottees of plots of Sector I-15 of Islamabad. The subcommittee comprised of Senator Sherry Rehman, Shafqat Mehmood and Mehmood Khan Achackzai was directed to submit its investigation report within 20-days to PAC. The committee was formed after the Capital Development Authority Chairman (CDA) failed to respond to the committees’ questions how and why the CDA sustained losses, and why the development funds collected from the allotees for development of the sector were not utilised for this purpose.

PAC held its meeting on Wednesday with its Chairman Syed Khursheed Shah in the chair, which examined the audit paras relating to the departments of Capital Development and Administration Division.

Examining the audit para, Audit officials told the subcommittee that the CDA has collected Rs07 billion from the plot owners in Sector I-15 in the head of development charges, but no plots were created for those whom the plots were offered.

The Audit officials asked the committee for the complete investigation in how and where Rs07 billion of development funds were utilised.

PAC member Shafqat Mehmood questioned that who was responsible for it, and what was the situation for the provision of utilities--gas and water.

The CDA chairman told the subcommittee that people in I-14 Sector have gas connections, while though there were three sources of water provisions, yet supply of water through tube -wells were more reliable. He told the committee that the CDA annually needed over Rs10 billion for the administrative expenses, while its annual earning is fewer than Rs10 billion. He further told the committee that provision of water to the residents in Islamabad was less than 50pc to the demand while its population increasing with 4pc annually.

The Audit officials told the committee that Rs07 billion were collected for the construction of 7,000 flats. The CDA chairman, responding to the objection of the audit officials, told the committee that 3,000 people have taken back their money while 4,000 allottees were offered plots instead of flats.

PAC member Sardar Ashiq Gopang said the capital city should have been restricted to a small area, but it was being vastly spread day by day. Senator Sherry Rehman observed that it seems whole Islamabad was left for Plaza mafia for commercial purposes.

PAC Chairman Syed Khursheed remarked that no official sitting in the planning department knows the value of land and even did not cost of the projects. “It’s better that we form the subcommittee to probe the whole issue, which submit its report within next 20-days,” he said and formed the committee.